


You Can Be King, Again

by angularspeed



Series: Seongjoong Week 2020 [4]
Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: A lot of timeskips, Character Death, Coming of Age, Forest Spirit!Seonghwa, Hotarubi no Mori e AU, Human!Hongjoong, M/M, but its not explicit, inspired by that amv on yt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:33:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24389722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angularspeed/pseuds/angularspeed
Summary: At his grandfather’s summer home, Hongjoong forms an unlikely friendship with Seonghwa, a forest spirit who dons a fox mask. But there’s one catch: if Seonghwa comes into physical contact with humans, he will disappear.Or: Hongjoong slowly falls in love with the immortal being that reigns the forest.
Relationships: Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa
Series: Seongjoong Week 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1746814
Comments: 8
Kudos: 48
Collections: Seongjoong Week 2020





	You Can Be King, Again

**Author's Note:**

> !! please note that i haven’t actually watched hotarubi no mori e (can’t find it T___T) but i’ve seen snippets of it from this amazing amv on youtube + wiki plot synopsis !! 
> 
> but the combo of hotarubi no mori e & “king” by lauren aquilina is deadly. i watched the amv and started crying ;__; 
> 
> thanks to [yudofu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yudofu/pseuds/yudofu) for betaing this! <3

Ever since he was seven, Hongjoong visited his grandfather’s home every summer -- a small cottage on the bottom of Surisan Mountain. There, he had quite a bit of freedom to himself: he could roam around the nearby forests with no purpose in mind, and his grandfather wouldn’t care much (as long as he returned before dark). 

But one day was not like the rest. Hongjoong was running through the forest, chasing what looked like a stray cat to him. Cats were rare in the forest, so he was eager to catch up and marvel at the creature. 

However, he unexpectedly tripped on a tree root, sending himself flying and ultimately face-planting on the ground before him. Groaning in pain, he turned around to lie on his back after he absorbed the instantaneous shock. 

Despite the sharp current of pain he felt, in the corner of his eye Hongjoong could see a moving figure. Or was he hallucinating? He quickly jolted upwards to peer at the place where he had sighted the figure. Almost as fast, the person disappeared. Hongjoong frowned. Since when did the mountain have other inhabitants? Due to the quick urbanization of towns, almost everyone living on the mountain had moved to a city. Were there other people here he could make friends with? 

He ran in the direction of the unknown figure, only to find the person crouching behind a tree. For the first time, he looked upon the other person in close focus. They donned a white fox mask and wore a long white robe as if they didn’t fear soiling it. The figure had semi-long black hair that peeked out from behind the mask. Judging by the length of the hair, perhaps it was safe to assume the person was male, but Hongjoong wasn’t sure. 

Hongjoong furrowed his eyebrows as he asked, “Why are you running from me? I’m not something scary at all.” 

A few seconds of silence passed, until Hongjoong thought that the other person wasn’t likely to respond. He was about to open his mouth to say something again when the figure spoke. 

“I’m not supposed to be found by humans like you.” 

The figure’s deep voice shocked Hongjoong at first, but it quickly faded. His lips drew down further into a frown. “How come?” he tentatively asked. 

He blinked, slowly processing the other’s words. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Humans like me? Are you saying that you’re not human?” 

Even though the person’s face was covered with a mask, it almost felt like he, too, was frowning from behind it. When he spoke up again, he stunned Hongjoong once more. 

“Even if I am, what will you do to me?” It almost seemed like the other’s chilling voice presented a challenge, as if daring Hongjoong to speak. The figure stood up. It was then that Hongjoong realized how tall the person actually was. Towering over the latter, he seemed much more menacing. 

Even so, the other had done nothing to hurt him and had even tried to hide from him. That didn’t seem like the behavior of someone who wanted to hurt someone else. So Hongjoong cracked a tentative smile and simply said, “You being here means I have someone to play with, right? So it won’t be so boring here after all.” 

There was silence for a few seconds before the other replied. His tone was incredulous as he asked, “Play with you?” His words were dripping with scorn, hesitance roped around his voice. “Play with you? Why would I do that?” 

“Because,” Hongjoong swallowed, carefully considering his words, “if you’ve been here for a long time, alone I suppose… doesn’t it get lonely sometimes?” 

“Hongjoong! Come back, dinner is ready!” came a yell from the distance. Hongjoong jolted his head in the direction of the yell and then looked back up at the figure. 

“I guess that’s my call,” he bit his lip out of worry. He took a few seconds of silence to consider his next words. “But, um, could I have your name?” 

“My… my name?” The figure stuttered slightly with a hint of surprise to his voice. 

“Yeah, your name. If we’re going to play together I’ll have to have something to call you by, right?” Hongjoong turned his head sideways, waiting for an answer. 

“If you insist…” the person sounded extremely hesitant. “It’s Seonghwa.” 

“Seonghwa,” Hongjoong repeated, savoring the feel of the other person’s name on his tongue. His smile grew bigger when he realized that he didn’t need to call him by other phrases such as “the tall figure” in his mind anymore. 

A small smile grew on his face. “I’ll see you tomorrow then, Seonghwa!” He waved to the mentioned man as he ran down the forest path towards the cottage. 

✧✧✧

Later that day, when Hongjoong was about to be tucked into bed, mind full of warring thoughts, he asked his grandfather hesitantly, “Grandpa… are there any,” he winced internally before continuing his question, “ _non-human_ beings in the forest?” 

Hearing this, his grandfather chuckled as he sat down on the edge of Hongjoong’s bed to tuck him in. “Hongjoong, why are you asking this all of a sudden?” Seeing the lack of an answer in his response, Hongjoong pouted until his grandfather resumed talking. 

“If you really want to know… I have heard of rumors about forest spirits inhabiting this place,” his grandfather frowned in thought. “Legend says that the forest spirits are there to guard their area, to prevent destruction. However, the sad thing is… is that they can’t be touched by humans. If they get skin-on-skin human contact, they’ll disappear forever.” 

“Oh,” Hongjoong breathed a sigh of understanding. He struggled to piece the new information he had into the jigsaw puzzle of events in his mind. 

“It’s sad, isn’t it? Well, don’t think about it too much,” his grandfather ruffled Hongjoong’s hair, bringing a smile to his face. “Good night, sleep tight!” 

After the lamp at the nightstand next to Hongjoong’s bed was extinguished, he pulled the soft bed covers up to his chin, sighing in content. Too many thoughts ran their course in his mind. He was tired. 

He quickly fell asleep after that, dreaming of lush green forests and snowy fox masks. 

✧✧✧

The next day, Hongjoong came looking for Seonghwa bright and early in the forest. He looked around the same place he saw him yesterday. “Seonghwa!” He called out. There was no reply, only the distant chirping of birds and rustling of leaves. “Seonghwa!” 

“You really don’t have to yell for me so loudly.” 

Hongjoong jumped about a foot in the air upon hearing Seonghwa’s voice from behind. He turned around abruptly to see the familiar figure, clad in the same white robe and mask. After his heart calmed down slightly, a smile crept its way onto his face. 

“Good morning!” He grinned. For a few seconds, there was no response. He imagined that perhaps Seonghwa, behind the mask, was smiling back at him too. Caught up in imagining what Seonghwa’s face looked like, he almost missed the other’s low murmur of “Good morning to you, too.” 

“What do you want to do today?” Hongjoong asked, tilting his head sideways. “I don’t really know the mountains quite well yet, so do you mind giving me a little bit of a self-tour maybe?” 

“Alright, if you insist.” Seonghwa’s response was rather quick. 

“Let’s go then!” The smile on Hongjoong’s face grew as he began to march into the distance, following Seonghwa’s tall figure. Even though their conversation consisted mostly of Hongjoong rambling on and on about his daily life, with the occasional remark from Seonghwa, the former was content enough with the conversation. To have a response at all was already better than having none. 

✧✧✧

“… And that’s how _and_ why I decided to dye my hair red,” Hongjoong finished talking about his extremely long story of how he spontaneously, with the help of his friends, dyed his hair the shade of a ripe strawberry last summer in his college dorm. He turned to Seonghwa. “What about you? Anything interesting happening over the past year?” 

The latter chuckled. “Has anything interesting ever happened to me? I honestly just roam these woods, day to night, night to day. There’s not much to see or do.” 

“That’s right, that’s why I need to be here, to keep you company,” Hongjoong quipped back. “To keep annoying you until you decide that you want to claw out my strawberry hair.” 

Seonghwa threw his head back and laughed. His laugh was not the tinkering of the bells or the soothing sound of waves crashing against each other on the beach. Rather, his laugh was unexpected, a torrent of guffaws beating against each other.

And yet, it seemed so _Seonghwa_ to laugh that way. Hongjoong could listen to him laugh forever and he wouldn’t complain. 

“You really don’t annoy me, though. You’re about the most interesting thing… or person,” he adds, “that I can come across in the forest.” 

“Oh, I see how it is now. I’m just an interesting thing, hm? Not even a friend? That hurt like an arrow to the heart.” Hongjoong made a stabbing motion towards his chest with an exaggerated expression. Seonghwa laughed even harder at his motion, his body bent down to contain his laughter. 

And if it were not for Seonghwa being a forest spirit, Hongjoong would have almost elbowed him in the side by now. But Hongjoong refrained from doing so, a flashing reminder over his head screaming at him to not forget that Seonghwa would disappear with the tiniest bit of contact. 

At this fleeting thought Hongjoong had, his mood was slightly dampened for the rest of the conversation. He did continue joking around and chatting with Seonghwa, but a tiny thought remained in the corner of his head, insistent on being remembered. 

How would life be different if Seonghwa would be able to have human contact? Hongjoong could then elbow him when he made a joke, hug him to give a little bit of warmth, tickle him to get some laughs out of him… Everything would be vastly different. 

This thought remained in his head throughout the entire day, drifting among other worries. 

✧✧✧

For any other kind of friendship, it would seem odd that Hongjoong had not seen Seonghwa’s face, ever. However, Seonghwa was not just any friend, he was a forest spirit. The latter donned a fox mask wherever he went, and throughout the many summers that Hongjoong visited him, Seonghwa never revealed his face to him. 

This led Hongjoong to be extremely startled when he saw someone basking in the middle of an open field between edges of forest while looking for Seonghwa. He usually remained silent, knowing that Seonghwa would probably notice him and come to him, but that day was different. 

Hongjoong stayed a safe distance away from this person. After further inspection, he realized that the person in the middle of the field was most likely Seonghwa. The same black hair reached down around his eyes to form comma bangs that waved ever so slightly in the wind. 

Seeing Seonghwa’s face left Hongjoong with no breath in his lungs. His skin seemed smooth, almost as if it was a polished surface, glowing under the blazing sun. His full lips perfectly complemented the rest of his flawless face. Perhaps, Hongjoong thought, he was the most beautiful man he had the honor of seeing. 

Suddenly, Hongjoong was hyper-aware of how fast his heart was beating. He shook his head slightly, internally willing his heart to calm down. What was happening? 

Even further to his surprise, Seonghwa started to open his mouth, as if to speak. Hongjoong froze. Did he figure out that Hongjoong was spying on him, mask-less, in the field? 

But no words came out. Instead, Hongjoong’s ears caught wisps of a song. His eyes grew even larger in shock. 

Really, there wasn’t much to be in awe of. Seonghwa had only ever talked to him; he never sang. So there was a possibility that he could do so. But nothing could prepare Hongjoong for Seonghwa’s light, honey-like voice, drifting smoothly between notes. He froze in awe, heart nearly beating out of his chest. Seonghwa sang so well — and he had never known this entire time? 

“You’re in control, rid of the monsters inside your head,” Seonghwa sang, eyes still closed. “Put all your faults to bed… You can be king, again.” 

At this, his eyes snapped open and happened to land on Hongjoong at that moment. Hongjoong himself didn’t move. He internally cursed himself. What was he going to do now, now that Seonghwa knew he listened to him singing? 

To his surprise, Seonghwa’s face quickly colored with a dainty pink that sat high on his cheeks. He quickly covered his face with his hands while muttering a “Hongjoong?” 

Hongjoong’s own face erupted into flames. “Uh, hi, Seonghwa,” he replied, dumbfounded. He slowly walked towards the latter until he was only standing a few feet away from Seonghwa. 

“Listen, um, I’m really sorry I eavesdropped on you singing,” Hongjoong blurted, eyes focused on the ground. He bit the inside of his cheek out of worry. “Ah! But your voice is really soothing, so I couldn’t help myself…” 

He couldn’t tell what Seonghwa was thinking, but it definitely wasn’t a positive thing. He had eavesdropped on something the other didn’t want him to hear, after all. Hongjoong winced, bracing himself for Seonghwa’s words. 

“You really didn’t have to compliment me,” Seonghwa whispered from behind his hands.

Hongjoong’s eyes widened slightly in shock. Seonghwa didn’t yell at him for eavesdropping? 

“But it’s true! How did you manage to hide your amazing singing voice all these years?” He earnestly replied. “And you’re really pretty… Actually, pretty would be an insult.” He paused for a second, seeming as if he was in thought. “I would say exquisite but you’re not an object.” 

Seonghwa lifted his hands further upward. “I’m… really not. You don’t have to be so nice to me,” he murmured quietly. 

“I’m not lying though,” Hongjoong frowned slightly. “Plus, your appearance doesn’t change the fact that we’re friends! I’m still going to talk to you. Although…” he swallowed. “I’m really sorry about eavesdropping and seeing your face without your permission. I… should’ve respected your boundaries.” 

“It’s… It’s alright,” the brunet slowly lowered his hands until his entire face wasn’t covered. He looked up briefly to meet Hongjoong’s eyes and smiled slightly. “What do you think about singing together?”

✧✧✧

“So, would you like to come with me to the Spirit Festival?” Seonghwa had offhandedly mentioned in a conversation. Hongjoong almost choked on air. 

“Spirit Festival?” He sputtered, turning to Seonghwa with wide eyes. 

Seonghwa nodded. “It’s an annual gathering of forest spirits. Even though we were friends for so long, I didn’t think it was safe to bring you there when you were younger. And since you’ve already graduated high school and probably aren’t returning, I’ll take the opportunity to take you there.” 

Hongjoong blinked for a few seconds, trying to process the information in his head. “What happens?” 

“Oh, other spirits like me just gather around vendors and stalls and enjoy the night sky together. It’s nothing big really,” the other reassured him. “The important spirits gather together to have a council, but everyone else is just free to roam around.” 

Hongjoong bit his lip. He opened his mouth only to close it and open it again to ask, “Are you sure about bringing me there?” 

“Of course, as long as you’re alright with it. It’s not like I’d be able to bring anyone else anyway,” Seonghwa chuckled, his eyes slightly creasing into tiny crescents. “Does tomorrow night sound good?” 

“Yeah! Do I need to wear anything special?” 

“Hm,” the brunet’s eyes wandered for a bit as he stewed in thought. “Traditional clothing would be appreciated if you could get out of the house wearing that.” 

“Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow!” Hongjoong gave a small smile and a wave as he dashed inside the cottage. Outfits for the Spirit Festival… he would need some time to think about it. 

✧✧✧

“Are you ready?” Seonghwa asked. 

“Yeah, wait a second,” Hongjoong adjusted the waist strap of his _hanbok_. After he pulled it tight but not too tight to suffocate him, he looked up at Seonghwa and grinned. “I’m ready!” 

“Can you give me your hand for a second?” 

“My hand?” The redhead tentatively lifted his left hand upwards, palm facing up. 

Seonghwa dropped the end of a thick, velvety ribbon onto Hongjoong’s palm. “Can you tie that around your wrist?” 

“Alright.” After struggling to tie the ribbon for a few seconds, Hongjoong managed to complete a small knot with only his other hand. His eyes followed the ribbon to the other end, where it was tied around Seonghwa’s right wrist. 

As if sensing Hongjoong’s questions, the brunet whispered, “It’s so you don’t get lost when you’re with me.” 

“You think I’ll get lost?” Hongjoong frowned, raising his eyebrows playfully. “Me, a whole 5’7 tall grown-up high school graduate? I think you’ve got the wrong person, sir.” 

At the other’s remark, Seonghwa laughed that wonderful laugh of his, the edges of his lips creasing upwards with the hint of dimples peeking out from the sides of his cheeks. “Alright, alright, I think we’ve waited too long. Let’s get going before the festival ends.” 

The former tugged gently on the ribbon, bringing Hongjoong to follow him. The latter was thankful for the dark night sky since it concealed his burning cheeks. Really, why was his face on fire? If you asked Hongjoong that, he would be at a loss for words too. He constantly reassured himself that the gesture was nothing. There was only a ribbon tied around their wrists. They weren’t even touching. But why did it feel so intimate? Hongjoong was glad the giddy smile on his face was hidden. 

They walked through the dimly lit forest for a few minutes before arriving at a clearing. Hongjoong could see the faint glow of light muffled by cloth. When they came closer, he could see tents and stalls set up and people walking. 

Before they entered the festival, however, Seonghwa turned around and stopped walking entirely. Hongjoong stopped as well, seeing that Seonghwa had paused. 

“Is it… alright if I give you my mask to wear since humans aren’t allowed at the Spirit Festival?” Seonghwa tentatively asked, his voice wavering slightly. 

The redhead blinked for a few seconds, soaking in his words before forming a response. “Oh, sure.” 

“Thank you.” The other gently removed the mask from his face and placed it gently on top of Hongjoong’s outstretched hand. After receiving it, Hongjoong took awhile to out the mask on his face and tighten the string around it. The mask smelled slightly musky — but not in a bad way. It carried a small hint of daisies and wet grass. 

After he was finished adjusting the mask, Hongjoong met Seonghwa’s eyes and he smiled under the mask. “I’m ready.” 

Seonghwa gave a gentle tug on the ribbon again and they walked into the festival stalls. People were gathered around different tents, chatting, easygoing smiles painted on their faces. Kids ran down the opening between the stalls, laughter spilling from their mouths. 

After walking around, peering at a few stands, and chatting with Seonghwa, they made their way to the edge of the festival grounds. Still connected by the ribbon, Hongjoong followed Seonghwa to an empty field, where they sat down on the ground next to each other, soft grass underneath their hands. 

“Oh, there’s a shooting star tonight,” Seonghwa mused, pointing to a small white speck making its way across the night sky. 

“Time to make a wish!” Hongjoong stared at the star before closing his eyes with a small smile and pressing his hands together in a praying motion. After whispering the wish in his mind, he reopened his eyes to see Seonghwa by his side, doing the same thing. 

“What did you wish for?” The latter asked, the moon casting a light glow on his face. 

“I can’t tell you!” Hongjoong placed a finger in front of his mouth, grinning from behind the mask. “If I tell you, the wish won’t come true!” 

“And here I was, just about to tell you my own wish,” Seonghwa huffed, pouting. 

Laughter filled the space between them. After it died down, there was silence for a few seconds before Seonghwa inched slowly towards Hongjoong, until their hands were only a few inches apart. Hongjoong turned towards him, questions in his eyes. 

Seonghwa slowly reached out his hand to cradle the edge of the mask on Hongjoong’s face. He involuntarily wetted his lips, Hongjoong’s eyes following his motion. The space between them felt agonizing, delivering static to his skin with every second that passed. A jolt ran down his spine when Seonghwa’s eyes wandered, only to finally settle on Hongjoong’s eyes through the slit on the mask. 

“Is… Is this alright?” he whispered, voice cracking slightly. 

For a few seconds, Hongjoong couldn’t breathe. He could feel the strong beat of his heart, pulsating quickly inside his chest. He stayed like that, eyes wide, heart throbbing, until he remembered that Seonghwa had asked a question. 

“Yeah.” He swallowed slowly, not sure of how to respond. He thought his response over before replying. “Yes, it’s alright.” 

A few agonizing seconds passed before Seonghwa moved closer, his face only a few inches from Hongjoong’s. They stayed like that, eyes peering into each other, until Seonghwa finally closed the distance between them. Hongjoong felt something press against his mouth through the mask. He didn’t dare to breathe, staying still until the distance opened up between them again. 

They stayed like that for a few more minutes, sitting close to each other, a comfortable silence falling over them, until Seonghwa spoke up first. 

“Do you want to go home now?” His voice was velvety soft, hesitation underlying. 

Heart beating fast, Hongjoong had to calm himself down first before responding. 

“Yeah, that’d be great,” he slightly stuttered. 

Seonghwa stood up and started walking towards the festival, Hongjoong following suit. The lights had grown dimmer and there were fewer people, but the place was still just as lively. 

Just as they reached the edge of the festival grounds, a few children ran past them onto the road. One boy tripped on a twig on the ground right as he passed them, body arching forward as he fell. 

However, he didn’t fall on the ground. Seonghwa had grasped the edge of the boy’s shoulder and held him in place, stopping him from falling. The boy noticed and grinned up at Seonghwa. “Thank you!” He said before running forward again to chase up to his friends. 

Seonghwa gave a gentle smile and waved slightly at the boy, but the smile quickly dropped from his face. It was replaced by a look of horror, his face paling slightly. Hongjoong followed Seonghwa’s line of sight to where he was looking. 

His hand. 

Tiny glowing fragments dissipated from the center of his palm, rising above his hand, flying away in the wind and disappearing. Seonghwa’s mouth formed a perfect ‘O’. 

“What happened?” Hongjoong asked, his eyes frantically wide in fear. 

When Seonghwa turned to him, he no longer donned the same look of horror. Instead, he had an easy smile on his face, but at the same time sadness welled in his eyes. 

“I’m going to fade.” 

Hongjoong slowly pieced together the facts in his mind. “The boy— the boy was a human?” His face contorted into a painful smile behind the mask, eyebrows furrowing in sorrow. 

Throwing caution to the wind, he lifted his mask until it was resting on his head and threw himself forward in Seonghwa’s arms, reaching his own around the other’s back. He rested his head in the crook of Seonghwa’s neck, slightly turning so the mask wouldn’t poke him. 

Seonghwa was _warm_ . So bright, so painfully _warm_. He felt solid underneath Hongjoong’s arms. Hongjoong choked, vision blurring as tears fell freely from the edges of his eyes. It didn’t help when Seonghwa reached his own around Hongjoong almost tight enough to be suffocating, a warm embrace he didn’t want to forget. 

Tears streamed down his cheeks, falling until they landed on Seonghwa’s robe, wetting it slightly. He pounded Seonghwa’s back slightly in indignance. “How— How can you go— Please, stay—” 

“Sh, it’s alright,” Seonghwa reached one of his hands up to ruffle Hongjoong’s hair from the back. “It’s alright.” Even as he whispered his reassurances, Seonghwa’s own face was tear-stained, a waterfall pouring from his eyes. 

“Don’t you dare say that!” Hongjoong hissed, leaning back for a second to peer into Seonghwa’s eyes. Even though his vision was cloudy, he couldn’t help but smile at Seonghwa in front of him, his cheeks rising almost painfully, before going back to lay his head on Seonghwa’s chest. “You can’t leave me like this— What the fuck—”

“You’re so beautiful, even like this.” Seonghwa, even though he was in tears, still found it in him to compliment the redhead. He laughed wetly. “I probably didn’t tell you all this time, but you’ve always been so beautiful.” 

Hongjoong started to lose feeling in holding Seonghwa. He clenched onto his robe even tighter, sobbing into his neck. “Don’t leave me please, I love you, you idiot—”

Hongjoong could feel Seonghwa laugh again, the sound vibrating in his chest. “I love you too, Hongjoong…” 

They held each other, Seonghwa murmuring comforting words while Hongjoong cried into his shoulder, until Hongjoong lost the feeling of Seonghwa in his arms entirely. He looked up, tears glistening on his cheeks, as the last glowing remnants blew away in the mind. Seonghwa’s robe fell on the ground, empty without its owner. 

Hongjoong stood there for what seemed like an eternity, shellshocked in place. Sobs racked his chest as he tightly clutched the robe in his hand as if he could somehow bring Seonghwa back if he held the robe tight enough. 

He fell to his knees and sobbed, an overwhelming wave of sorrow flooding in his chest. 

✧✧✧

“Welcome back, Hongjoong!” His grandfather greeted him as he opened the door. Hongjoong walked into the living room with his luggage, replying with a “Good morning!”. 

“Is my stuff still in my room?” He asked. 

“Yeah.” His grandfather nodded, gesturing towards the guest bedroom. “I don’t get many visitors anyways, so your stuff is still in there, untouched. Feel free to unpack your stuff and get settled in!” 

Hongjoong nodded once more before disappearing into his room. After he placed the luggage on the floor, he stood a few feet from the doorway, taking in his surroundings, before opening his closet and digging through his boxes of possessions. 

He found what he was looking for near the inside of the closet. He took the box out, marveling at its dusty blue covers, tinged with dandelion yellow edges, before taking off the lid gently and placing it next to him. The box contained the very few things Hongjoong had left of Seonghwa. 

He carefully took out the mask. It had lost its flowery smell, but if Hongjoong strained his brain enough, he could still remember its original scent: the smell of daisies with a dash of wet grass. 

At the bottom, below the mask, was Seonghwa’s robe. It was slightly stained from touching the ground, but it didn’t matter much to him. He held the mask in his hands, staring down at the few possessions Seonghwa left. 

He knew he probably looked crazy, sitting on the floor of his bedroom, talking to a mask, but that didn’t stop him. He gave a wry laugh as he turned the mask over and over, admiring every detail. 

“Seonghwa… It’s been years already,” he sighed with a bittersweet smile gracing his face. “I’ve graduated from college now, and I plan to work in the city as a music producer… My dream came true, I suppose? I won’t be able to come back as often anymore.” 

Hongjoong chuckled dryly to himself, but the smile quickly dropped off his face as his expression turned somber. “I… miss you a lot,” he managed to choke out. “But we both have things to do, don’t we?” 

He placed the mask back gently into the box on top of the robe and closed the lid. He huffed a sigh as he closed his eyes gently to say, “I hope you’re happy now.”

Hongjoong stayed like that for a few seconds, his mind wandering from thought to thought. But he was suddenly jolted into remembering Seonghwa singing. 

The sound of Seonghwa singing wavered in his mind again, his voice bringing back that ever so familiar sense of grief and longing. 

_You’re in control, rid of the monsters inside your head_. 

What a stark contrast with what he had sung. Hongjoong reveled in the moment, trying to soak in Seonghwa’s voice, to remember it, to treasure it. He wanted to remember all the memories of Seonghwa he had kept. 

Hongjoong smiled wryly, the corners of his mouth lifting as he reopened his eyes to place the box back into its original position in the back of his closet. 

_Put all your faults to bed… You can be king, again._

**Author's Note:**

> as always, i'd appreciate any comments / critiques !! :]


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